writing (how do you feel about fanfic?)

stitchingirl · Feb 9, 2010

I'm new here, so I don't know if this question has been asked in the past or even if it belongs here.

Everybody writes different types of stories. Some write fiction, other write non-fiction, or horror, romance, mystery, drama, etc.
My question is: is there any type of writing that some here sort of scoff at? But not really scoff, but I guess more like don't really consider it to be writing.

For instance, I am a huge fanfic nut. Well, let me rephrase that. I'm a sucker for good fanfic stories. Now is that considered...I don't know the word. The same caliber (I think that's the word I want) as writing other stories?

Sophia · Feb 9, 2010

Well, everyone has their own opinions, but generally, most people here are working to improve their own writing skills and also to help each other with any problems they have. The rule here is "respect your fellow writer", and scoffing doesn't fit with that.

I think there is a board rule that no fanfic be posted here, as it may cause copyright violation issues. But there are lots of fanfic aficionados here; you're not alone in liking it.

stitchingirl · Feb 9, 2010

Sweet

Thanks. I wouldn't post any stories unless it was permitted, so that's not a problem. I just didn't know how the fanfic authors were looked upon, you know?

Jamesaritchie · Feb 9, 2010

I don't look down on fanfic writers, but in all honesty, pretty much every piece of fanfic I've tried to read truly sucked. Why shouldn't it? Very little of it is vetted in any way, it's like reading a slush pile, and the average slush pile makes every editor shiver with dread.

I also never saw the point. Yu can't sell it, and you might as well write original stories set in a world of your own imagination.

Stijn Hommes · Feb 10, 2010

It all depends on what genre you like. Some people can't stand sci-fi and look down on anyone who writes it. Personally I like fanfiction too. I started writing because of them because I could focus all on the story without going through the whole process of creating characters and backstories. After all, they were already created. I considered it a challenge to make my stories as outrageous as possible and still stay through to the world I was using.

To Jamesaritchie: While you can't sell it, it has plenty of advantages. If you like the book/tv show/film/comic you write for, every new story about that world excites you. The story would give you a drug-like high that no story from your own imagination could create.

I've since started writing my own characters, but I still like to read fanfic whenever I have the time.

DrZoidberg · Feb 10, 2010

I scoff at writing that doesn't even try, lazy and unimaginative writing, chock full with stereotypes and stale metaphors that barely fit.

Those kind be found in every genre

stitchingirl · Feb 10, 2010

Sad as it sounds, you're right. That does seem to fit every genre.

gothicangel · Feb 10, 2010

Literary fiction seems to be a contentious subject.

Before anyone starts taking aim, I read and write literary crime fiction!

Jamesaritchie · Feb 10, 2010

Stijn Hommes said:
To Jamesaritchie: While you can't sell it, it has plenty of advantages. If you like the book/tv show/film/comic you write for, every new story about that world excites you. The story would give you a drug-like high that no story from your own imagination could create.

QUOTE]

And that's truly frightening.

stitchingirl · Feb 10, 2010

Thanks for that quote and I agree. Sometimes writing doesn't necessarily mean anything that someone can sell to a publisher or to the world. Fanfic has such a huge following. Just about every show/movie has some sort of fanfic to it. Hundreds of talented authors pen fanfic without ever having written a single line of original fiction. When I first discovered the term, "fanfiction", I did my own research and was actually surprised what I found. A grandmother had actually written a fanfic about "Star Trek" for a magazine that was accepting stories. Can you imagine how much ridicule that woman must have gotten from her own family and friends? This was in the time before fanfic had its own following and didn't have an actual name to it.
I believe that at times, it is more challenging to write a story about a tv show/movie character, while keeping within the lines of that character's own character. OOC (out of character) can sometimes work, but most fanfic authors remain within cannon.

CaroGirl · Feb 10, 2010

stitchingirl said:
OOC (out of character) can sometimes work, but most fanfic authors remain within cannon.

"Cannon" is right. Blow up the fanfic! Seriously, like James, I don't see the point of it. That doesn't mean people won't do it or read it or derive pleasure from it in some way. As long as I don't have to read it and no one profits from it, so what, I guess.

stitchingirl · Feb 10, 2010

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

gothicangel · Feb 10, 2010

Don't mean to nitpick, put I think you mean 'canon'.

Different words, different meaning.

dpaterso · Feb 10, 2010

stitchingirl said:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

I'm not sure that you did. As you can see, everyone has their own opinion on the matter... and you're entitled to yours, too.

-Derek

IceCreamEmpress · Feb 10, 2010

I look down on lazy or dishonest writing. Also plagiarism. And I'm not keen on people using rape and murder and the death of children in shallow, manipulative ways. Racism and sexism and homophobia, no thank you.

Other than that, I don't look down on things just because I don't personally enjoy them. I can't imagine being someone who does that ("Pudding? Tchah! Rugby? Scorn!") Who wants to live like that?

stitchingirl · Feb 10, 2010

And the sad thing is that I knew that. Canon instead of cannon. Crap!

Stupid college essay is frizzling my mind..or what's left of it.

Stijn Hommes · Feb 10, 2010

Jamesaritchie said:
Stijn Hommes said:

To Jamesaritchie: While you can't sell it, it has plenty of advantages. If you like the book/tv show/film/comic you write for, every new story about that world excites you. The story would give you a drug-like high that no story from your own imagination could create.

And that's truly frightening.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, perhaps that post needs a rewrite. It obviously didn't came over as I intended.

Click to expand...

Linda Adams · Feb 10, 2010

One of the things you have to watch out for though is that all the praise for the fan fiction is very addictive--even for the most horrible story, people will pile up the praise. I remember one writer who wanted to go professional. She was a decent writer. The Internet was just becoming popular, and she decided to put up a site to collect stories. And everyone kept demanding more stories, so she wrote stories like mad--she'd just dash one off and post it with twenty typos on every page. No one cared about the typos or how sloppy the writing became; they told her the stories were great. More than twelve years later she still has the site and has never even tried to publish professionally. Her writing has also gone down in a quality because she developed a lot of bad habits.

Linda Adams · Feb 10, 2010

Stijn Hommes said:
Hmmm, perhaps that post needs a rewrite. It obviously didn't came over as I intended.

The original comment made me glad I dropped out years ago. I hope it's not like a drug high. I read fan stories for twenty years, starting as a teenager and never got anything more than the pleasure of reading a story. I dropped out because there started to be too many DOTS with an unrealistic view of the world. Stopped reading the stories long before then because a lot of them weren't that good, and some were pretty awful. The Internet actually made the stories worse because people could dash them out and post them immediately.

kuwisdelu · Feb 10, 2010

I look down on bad writing, when a) it's published that way or when b) it's not but the writer isn't willing to put in the effort to improve.

Lots of people here seem to look down on literary fiction. There's a strong reverse snobbery streak in some people that really bugs me. Fortunately, we have plenty of other writers here who write, read, and love it, too. It seems to be the biggest, most consistent culprit, to me, though.

Wayne K · Feb 10, 2010

If I look down on someone, I'm usually trying to pick them up. Who am I to look down on anyone?

blacbird · Feb 10, 2010

Self-indulgent, self-congratulatory, vainglorious narcissistic introspective navel-gazing.

How's that for a string of adjectives?

caw

Wayne K · Feb 10, 2010

One of my chapter titles was Vainglorious Bastards.

gothicangel · Feb 10, 2010

stitchingirl said:
And the sad thing is that I knew that. Canon instead of cannon. Crap!

Stupid college essay is frizzling my mind..or what's left of it.

Essay brain, I know allll about that!

Yeah, the reverse snobbery pees me off too.

backslashbaby · Feb 10, 2010

vainglorius is one of the best words ever!

I've not seen real fanfic. But way back in the day, I wrote spy stories about James Bond's daughter and passed out a hard copy every day for my friends to pass around. The excitement they showed made me love this whole writing thing

So I say fanfic rocks

writing (how do you feel about fanfic?)

stitchingirl

Sophia

stitchingirl

Jamesaritchie

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

DrZoidberg

aka TomOfSweden

stitchingirl

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Jamesaritchie

stitchingirl

CaroGirl

Living the dream

stitchingirl

gothicangel

Toughen up.

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

stitchingirl

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Wayne K

blacbird

Wayne K

gothicangel

Toughen up.

backslashbaby

*

writing (how do you feel about fanfic?)

Know what you write...

aka TomOfSweden

Toughen up.

Living the dream

Toughen up.

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Hapless Virago

Know what you write...

Soldier, Storyteller

Soldier, Storyteller

Revolutionize the World

Toughen up.

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